South Korea's Se Young equals calendar year title record

HANGZHOU: South Korea's An Se Young claimed a record-equalling 11th title of the year with victory at the badminton World Tour Finals in Hangzhou today.

The 2024 Olympic champion beat world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China 21-13, 18-21, 21-10 to tie Japanese men's singles player Kento Momota's 2019 record for the most titles won in a calendar year.

Se Young , the world No. 3, ended the gruelling 96-minute match limping between points with what appeared to be a left-knee problem, but managed to grind to victory over defending champion Wang.

"Winning my 11th title, I feel really happy and that it's really something for me to be proud of", the 23-year-old said after her victory.

"I'll enjoy this win today."

According to the Badminton World Federation, Se Young also became the first badminton player to win more than US$1 million (RM4 million) in prize money in a year after banking the US$240,000 winner's cheque, adding to the US$763,000 she had already pocketed this season.

Christo Popov became only the third European, and the first Frenchman, to win the season-ending event by overcoming China's world champion Shi Yuqi 21-19, 21-9.

Shi appeared to struggle with a foot injury throughout and quickly succumbed after a tight first game.

Popov, who hadn't won a tour title all year and was an underdog coming into the tournament, defeated Olympic silver-medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn and world No. 3 Anders Antonsen on his way to glory in the season-ending event.

"It was an amazing week", Popov said.

"Very happy to win the first title for France and I'm hoping for many more to come."

South Korea enjoyed more success in the doubles as women's pair Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee defeated Japan's Mayu Matsumoto and Yuki Fukushima 21-17, 21-11.

And world champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae defeated China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-18, 21-14, in the men's.

The home crowd did have something to cheer earlier in the day, when mixed doubles pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping overcoming compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin 21-12, 21-17. - AFP